Transparent shoe form



Nov. 1, 1966 J, R. M GlNNlTY 3,281,939

TRANSPARENT SHOE FORM Filed Oct. 10, 1963 a g; INVENTOR- Jmeafl Ma 001 %ikgw -M the bottom part spaced from a supporting surface.

United States Patent 3,281,939 TRANSPARENT SHGE FORM James R. MeGinnity, Danvers, Mass, assignor to Mrs. Days Ideal Baby Shoe Company, Inc.,, Danvers, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Get. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,166 14 Claims. (Cl. 333) for the child to stand with the foot in its normal weightbearing position, so that the true supporting dimension of the foot can be determined; to provide a form designed to conform substantially to the entire foot rather than only a portion thereof thereby to insure conditions of measurement corresponding to the condition of the shoe during wear; to provide a form. which is designed to be readily molded from sheet material; and to provide a combination form and mount in the form of a base, the latter providing convenient means for receiving indicia indicating the size of shoe, the manufacturer, and other pertinent material instructive to the customer.

As herein illustrated, the form comprises a hollow transparent shell having top and bottom parts, the interior of which corresponds in shape and size to a shoe of predetermined size, and a support joined to the bottom part operative, by contact with a supporting surface, to hold the form with the bottom part spaced from. and'parallel to the supporting surface. The top and bottom parts are formed in separate pieces and have interengageable flanges by means of which they are assembled. The flange on the bottom part extends downwardly therefrom providing a slightly flared peripheral surface and the flange on the top part is offset so that, when engaged with the flange on the bottom part, the interior surfaces of the top and bottom parts are flush. Additional flanges are joined to the lower edges of the flanges on the top and bottom parts, these additional flanges extending outwardly therefrom. The outwardly extending flange at the bottom part provides a supporting structure for holding The form is adapted for mounting on a base and the latter contains a hole corresponding in shape to the bottom part within which the bottom. part is mounted, and a pocket extending laterally from the hole within which the outwardly extending flanges are situated. The base comprises a flat top panel member containing the hole, a subjacent panel underlying the hole and reinforcing parts disposed between the panels above and below the flanges. The subjacent panel is conveniently formed by hinged extensions of the top panel, folded beneath it and secured to each other. The top panel has on it indicia adjacent the toe of the form indicative of the proper position of the toe when the shoe size is correct for the foot inserted into the form.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the form and its base;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, to much larger scale, taken transversely of FIG. 1 on the line 22, exploded in the vertical dimension to show the parts distinctly;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the top part of the shoe form removed from its base;

' 328L939 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bottom part of the form removed from its base;

FIG. 7 is a transverse view of the bottom. part of the form taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of the bottom part of the form taken on the line 83 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the form with the top and bottom parts assembled;

FIG. 10 is an end elevation of the form with the top and bottom parts assembled; and I FIG. 11 is a plan view of the base as seen from the bottom side with the extension opened outwardly.

Referring to the drawings (FIG. 1), the form comprises a base 10 supporting a transparent form 12 within which the foot may be thrust to enable the customer to stand with its feet bearing his normal weight so that the proper shoe measurement may be taken with respect to the actual weight-supporting condition of the foot. The form 12 (FIGS. 9 and 10) is comprised of a bottom part 14 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) and a top part 16 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5), the two parts being made as separate pieces and being telescopically engaged with each other to provide an internal recess corresponding to a shoe of predetermined size. The bottom part, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, has a bottom portion 18 corresponding substantially in contour to the sole of the foot, and rearwardly of the transverse arch, as indicated by the line X-X (FIG. 6), the edges are elevated at 20, 22 and 24 along the inner and outer sides of the arch and at the heel end to cup the rear part of the foot. A flange 26 is joined to the entire peripheral edge of the bottom portion 18 and extends downwardly therefrom flaring slightly toward its lower edge. At the lower edge there is a flange 28 which extends outwardly from the flange 26, forming a substantially rectangular supporting structure. The top part 16 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) contains a top opening 30 through which the foot may be thrust and an offset flange 32 along its lower edge for engagement with the downwardly extending flange 26 of the bottom part, the offset being such that, when the parts are interengaged, the interior surfaces of the top and bottom parts are substantially flush, as shown in FIG. 2. An outwardly extending flange 34 is joined to the lower edge of the flange 32 and corresponds substantially in area to the flange 28 of the bottom part so that, when the parts are assembled, the flanges 28 and 34 are coextensive.

The form, comprised of the assembled top and bottom parts (FIGS. 9 and 10), could be employed as such, however, desirably, it is mounted on the base 10, the latter comprising (FIG. 2) a fiat top panel member 36 and a fla-t bottom panel member 38, the panel mmebers being joined at their edges by hinges 40 which, in FIG. 2, are greatly exaggerated to enable spacing the panels sufficiently to clearly show the internal structure. The

top panel 36 contains a hole 42 (FIGS. 2 and 11) which corresponds in shape to the bottom of the form and the form is seated with its bottom part in the hole and with the flanges 28 and 34 extending laterally between the panels 36 and 38, thus providing means for holding the form to the base. In order to provide satisfactory support and stiffness a reinforcing panel 44, containing an opening 46 corresponding to the hole 42, is placed inside of the base between the upper panel and the upper side of the flange 28 and a reinforcing panel 48 is placed in the base between the bottom panel 38 and the lower side of the flange 34. Adhesive may be employed to secure some or all of these panels to each other and to the flanges.

Conveniently the panel 38 is comprised of hinged extensions 50 and 52 at the sides and ends of the top panel which are folded beneath the top panel and secured to each other. v

The upper surface of the panel 36 (FIGS. 1 and 11) is printed to provide an indicia line 54 transversely of the form adjacent the toe which is indicative of the proper position of the ends ofthe toes when this particular size is correct for the foot inserted thereinto. This particular size is printed on the panel above the line on the left-hand side. At the right-hand side the width is printed above the line and immediately adjacent the end there is printed the legend right or left foot as the case may be. Other indicia may be printed along the top, side and bottom of the panel indicating the manufacturer, retailer and such other information as is informative to the customer.

The top and bottom parts of the form are comprised of transparent plastic material supplied in sheets to forming dies which form the par-ts and punch out the flanges in a single operation. The elasticity of the interengaging flanges holds the parts together and the outwardly extending flanges preserve the initial shape imparted to them and provides a suitable anchor for holding the form to its base.

Since the left foot is usually .the larger, each retailer is supplied with three forms for the left foot of each size shoe which he carries in stock. These three forms for each size are, respectively narrow, medium and wide in width. The length can thus be determined exactly by the line 54 and the width may be closely approximated by the position of the sides of the foot with the sides of the form as seen through the transparent sides of the form.

it should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A transparent shoe form comprising a hollow shell having top and bottom parts which collectively provide a space into which a foot may-be thrust, said space having an interior contour corresponding in shape and size to a shoe of a predetermined size, means joining .the parts comprising a first peripheral flange extending downwardly from the bottom part providing a peripheral face, a second peripheral flange extending downwardly from the lower edge of the top part telescopically engagea-ble with the face of the first peripheral flange, and a peripheral flange extending laterally outward from the lower edge of the first peripheral flange in the plane of the bottom part providing a support for the form and for the lower side of the second peripheral flange.

2. A transparent shoe for-m comprising a hollow shell having top and bottom parts which collectively provide a space, the interior of which corresponds to a shoe of predetermined size, a first flange at the peripheral edge of the bottom part extending downwardly therefrom, a second flange at the peripheral edge of the top part extending downwardly therefrom for telescoping engagement with the first flange, and third and fourth flanges at the lower edges of the first and second flanges extending laterally outward from the sides of the parts, said third and fourth flanges limiting telescoping engagement of the parts and constituting a supporting structure for bolding the form with the bottom spaced from a supporting surface.

3. A structure according to claim 2, wherein the second flange is displaced outwardly relatively to the top part by an amount such that the interiors of the top and bottom parts are substantially flush where they join.

4. A transparent shoe form comprising a hollow shell having top and bottom parts which collectively provide a space, the interior of which corresponds to a shoe of predetermined size, said bottom part being formed upwardly at the inner and outer sides of the shank and about the heel end to cup the foot rearwa-rdly of the transverse arch, a first flange extending downwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom part and providing an edge face which is yieldable relative to the bottom part, a second flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of the first flange and providing a flat supporting structure situated below the bottom part, a third flange at the lower edge of the top pant, said third flange being displaced outwardly relative to the top part and extending downwardly therefrom for telescoping engagement with the first flange, and a fourth flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of the third flange parallel to and engaged with said second flange supporting the top part on the bottom part.

5. The combination with a transparent shoe form having top and bottom parts which collectively provide an interior cavity corresponding to a shoe of given size, a flange extending outwardly from the bottom part, a mounting for the form containing a pocket for receiving the bottom part of the form and the flange, the latter being operative to anchor the form to the mounting, and means on the mounting, adjacent the toe of the form, by which to determine the proper position of the toes when a foot is positioned in the form.

6. The combination with a hollow transparent shoe form having an interior cavity corresponding to a shoe of given size, and a flange extending outwardly from the form bottom, a support comprised of superposed panel members joined marginally to provide a pocket therebetween, the uppermost panel containing an opening corresponding in shape to the bottom of the form within which the bottom of the form is situated with the flange lodged between the panel members in the pocket, and means on the upper surface of the uppermost panel member adjacent the toe indicative of the proper position of the toes of a foot thrust into the form.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein reinforcing panels are mounted between the panel members, one of which has a hole in it corresponding to the hole in the uppermost panel and is situated in engagement with the underside of the uppermost panel above the flange, and' the other of which is imperforate and is situated between the lower side of the flange and the upper side of the lowermost panel.

8. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the lowermost panel is constituted by extensions at the edges of the uppermost panel folded beneath the uppermost panel and secured to each other.

9. The combination according to claim 6, wherein there are reinforcing panels situated between the upper and lower panels in engagement with the opposite surfaces of the flanges adhesively secured to each other and to the flanges.

10. A two-piece shoe form comprising a bottom part shaped to conform to the bottom of the foot, a first flange extending downwardly from the edge of said bottom part, said first flange being slightly flared, a second flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of the first flange, a top part shaped to conform to the top of the foot, a third flange extending downwardly from the top part for elastically telescoping engagement with the flared first flange, and a fourth flange extending outwardly from the lower edge of the third flange for engagement with said second flange.

11. A composite structure comprising a pair of superposed flat panel members connected at their edges, said panel members defining a pocket therebetween, one of said panel members containing a hole through it which is in communication with the pocket, a hollow transparent shoe form, the interior of which corresponds to a shoe of predetermined size seated in said hole, and a flange extending outwardly from the bottom of the shoe form between the panels, said flange securing the shoe'forrn transparent shoe form mounted on the panel member with its bottom situated in the hole, said shoe form having an interior corresponding in size to a shoe of predetermined size, a flange extending outwardly from the bottom of the shoe form between the panel member and the subjacent extensions, said flange securing the shoe form to the panel, and indicia on the panel adjacent the toe of the form indicative of the correct position of the toes of the foot thrust into the shoe form.

13. A composite structure comprising a flat panel member containing a hole through it corresponding in shape to the bottom of a shoe, extensions hingedly connected to the edge of the panel, folded beneath the panel and secured to each other, said extensions collectively forming a support subjacent the hole in the panel, a hollow transparent two-part shoe form comprising a bottom part and a top part, flanges extending downwardly from the bottom and top parts, said flanges being telescopically engaged, and flanges extending outwardly from the lower edges of the flanges extending downwardly from the hottom and top parts between'the panel member and the subjacent extensions, the flange extending outwardly from the bottom part anchoring the bottom part to the mount above the support formed by the extensions of the panel, and the flange extending outwardly from the top part preventing disengagement of the top part from the bottom part.

14. A transparent shoe form comprising a hollow shell having top and bottom parts, the interior of which corresponds in shape and size to a shoe of predetermined size, said bottom part comprising a non-planar lower sole-engaging surface corresponding in contour to the sole or" the foot, a flange extending from the bottom part, and a support joined to the flange at the bottom part operative, by contact with a supporting surface, to hold the form in stable equilibrium on the supporting surface.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 17,600 2/1930 Pfersdorf 333.2 X 1,608,879 11/1926 Hawkins 333.2 X 1,752,254 3/1930 Gosnell 33-32 X 1,839,204 1/1932 De Witt 368.4 2,317,880 4/1943 Bingham 364 3,022,577 2/1962 Rockmore 333.2

LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner.

W. D. MARTIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TRANSPARENT SHOE FORM COMPRISING A HOLLOW SHELL HAVING TOP AND BOTTOM PARTS WHICH COLLECTIVELY PROVIDE A SPACE INTO WHICH A FOOT MAY BE THRUST, SAID SPACE HAVING AN INTERIOR CONTOUR CORRESPONDING IN SHAPE AND SIZE TO A SHOE OF A PREDETERMINED SIZE, MEANS JOINING THE PARTS COMPRISING A FIRST PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM PART PROVIDING A PERIPHERAL FACE, A SECOND PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENDING DOWWARDLY FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE TOP PART TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FACE OF THE FIRST PERIPHERAL FLANGE, AND A PERIPERAL FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARD FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FIRST PERIPHERAL FLANGE IN THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM PART PROVIDING A SUPPORT FOR THE FORM AND FOR THE LOWER SIDE OF THE SECOND PERIPHERAL FLANGE. 